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Some of the most beautiful and spectacular buildings are home to the world’s most popular sports teams. These jaw-dropping monuments are a sight to behold, and worth a trip to see them on their own. Today, we look at some of the most breathtaking sports stadiums across the globe:
Beira-Rio Stadium (Porto Alegre, Brazil)
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Estadio Beira-Rio often gets lost in the shuffle when speaking about some of the more well-known stadiums around Brazil. Normally, the likes of Maracana, Arena Castelao, Arena do Gremio, and Mane Garrincha garner the press clippings. However, Beira-Rio — home to soccer team Internacional — is simply stunning.
The unique awnings on the outside of the stadium allow for it to almost resemble an ornate sea shell. At night, the awnings light up with different colors, making the stadium even more beautiful. The stadium is also located within the city of Porto Alegre. It sits right on the bank of the Guaiba River. It’s no surprise to learn that it was one of the primary venues for matches during the 2014 World Cup (when Brazil was tabbed as the host nation).
Oracle Park (San Francisco, California)
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Few sporting venues can match the natural beauty seen here at Oracle Park in San Francisco. You’ve got the entire city of San Francisco (along with its skyline) positioned right behind the stadium. Tucked into the bay — which was renamed McCovey Cove in honor of Willie McCovey — sits this gorgeous park.
The park itself debuted in 2000 and still looks incredibly fresh more than 20 years later. Seeing a day game here is extra special — particularly when those in attendance can watch ballplayers launch home runs literally into the Pacific Ocean.
Ottmar Hitzfeld GsponArena (Gspon, Switzerland)
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A sporting venue situated literally in the Swiss Alps? Sign us up. In terms of being picturesque, we can’t really knock this location even the slightest. Sure, there are no frills when it comes to the actual soccer field itself. However, this is a backdrop surely anyone could get used to.
This stadium is over 6,500 feet above sea level — making it the highest stadium in all of Europe. Even more spectacular, a professional team doesn’t even play here. Instead, semi-pro team FC Gspon calls this beauty home. The stadium itself is named after Ottmar Hitzfeld — a former German player/coach who was the manager of Switzerland’s National Team for over six years.
The Float (Marina Bay, Singapore)
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We go from the Swiss Alps to the tropical setting of Singapore for this wildly unique soccer set-up. As it’s described, The Float at Marina Bay doubles as both a soccer field and a state. In fact, it prides itself on being the biggest dual-stage field in the world.
This project came into existence in 2007 after over a year of construction. As seen above, the stadium is situated among some of Singapore’s most illustrious attractions. People from all over the world come to see activities here in this area. While a professional team doesn’t use the field, it is often utilized in a number of ways — including military activities, plays, concerts, Youth Olympics, and even Formula One races (among other things).
The Bird’s Nest (Beijing, China)
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Beijing is the host city for one of the more unique-looking stadiums in the entire world. The Beijing National Stadium — or the ‘Bird’s Nest’ (as it’s more commonly called) — resembles that of a gigantic wicker basket. Though it may look a bit hectic in nature, the practicality surrounding this stadium is far from haphazard.
It was designed by a group of architects — including people from both China and Switzerland. Using expert engineering techniques, the Bird’s Nest was constructed to maintain its standing in the event of an earthquake. It utilized a new grade of steel — which at the time was revolutionary. It took over five years and more than $400 million to build.
Newlands Cricket Ground (Cape Town, South Africa)
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Rarely do we think of cricket grounds as a world-class sporting facility. In this case, the natural wonderment of Cape Town takes over in an overwhelmingly impressive manner. Since 1888, official cricket matches (along with rugby and soccer) have been played here. Of course, renovations have taken place over the years to modernize the grounds.
With that said, the one thing that hasn’t changed is the location. Cape Town itself is a city with inordinate amounts of natural beauty. This Newlands Cricket Ground is sandwiched between Devil’s Peak as well as Table Mountain. Table Mountain in particular is a big tourist destination for those who enjoy hiking. Devil’s Peak engulfs the surrounding area to give the cricket pitch the feel of a fortress being protected by a natural mountainous divide. All in all, this spot is tremendous.
Petco Park (San Diego, California)
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Petco Park is universally revered as the most sparkling stadium in all of Major League Baseball. Aside from picture-perfect weather nearly every single day, this park features some truly unique facets. It first debuted in 2004, once the Padres moved on from the dilapidated Qualcomm Stadium.
Petco’s centerfield area is especially neat. Even if you don’t have a ticket to the game, fans can walk up from a number of bars and restaurants and still catch the action. The skyline shines brightly as we look directly beyond the centerfield fence. Few stadiums are literally built into a downtown neighborhood like this, and it makes Petco all the more unique.
Estadio BBVA (Monterrey, Mexico)
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This cyclone of a field is rather unique in a number of ways. The stadium was built as close to the field as possible per FIFA regulations. For opposing teams coming to play in Monterrey, it can at times feel claustrophobic. As one can see from the stunning view, fans are privy to a gorgeous set of green mountains — as the park itself sits on the base of an ecological park. There’s even parking for the stadium, which amounts to a forest of sorts. This only adds to the unique feel of the stadium. Even more exciting, it was the first stadium on the continent to achieve certification for its sustainable design (as it pertains to utilizing energy within environmental parameters).
Lumen Field (Seattle, Washington)
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Flying into Sea-Tec airport is always a major treat. As your plane descends Seattle, you clearly get a beautiful bird’s eye view of Lumen Fields (formally called Qwest and CenturyLink Field). The unique construction of the facility enables those in attendance to get a beautiful look at the Seattle skyline. From a playability standpoint, Seattle Seahawks fans here at Lumen are among the loudest in the NFL. Opposing teams have an immensely difficult time playing here. While not the flashiest or newest stadium, there’s something truly special about the aesthetics here at Lumen Field.
Husky Stadium (Seattle, Washington)
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As we stay in Seattle, we head north to the ritzy Montlake neighborhood. This is where the University of Washington resides. This image features the basketball arena Hec Edmundson Pavilion (bottom left) sitting adjacent to the famed football facility entitled Husky Stadium.
There’s really not much to say about this tremendously idyllic facility. The stadium was created in a way where sound reverberates between each section with some real ‘booming’ quality. The north side of the stadium looks out towards Lake Washington — where fans frequently tailgate on boats. Even further in the distance are the iconic Cascade Mountains (which includes Mount Rainier). We’re willing to bet that there isn’t another college football-centric stadium coming close to this one from a beauty standpoint.
Estadi Comunal (Andorra La Vella, Andorra)
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For those who are unaware of Andorra, this land sits sandwiched between Spain and France. Location-wise, it sits in the Pyrenees Mountains. In other words, the landscape here is simply sublime. Take Estadi Comunal d’Andorra la Vella for example.
The stadium can hold no more than 1,500 people — yet the Andorra National Team was holding matches here simply due to the extreme beauty of this field. Along with soccer, the facility also holds multipurpose as a track. With a literal mountain range emerging all around this field, one can’t help but stop and be immersed in the magisterial feel of this location.
Allianz Arena (Munich, Germany)
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From the outside, this 70,000-person stadium resembles a very impressive feat of German engineering. Unsurprisingly, the gorgeous venue resides in the city of Munich. It primarily was crafted to be the home location for the powerful Bayern Munich soccer team. However, when entering this marvel, it’s so much more than that.
Everything is of the state-of-the-art variety. This building was constructed to give the audience in attendance an exceptionally pleasant experience. In the process, we’re left with the second-largest stadium in all of Germany — and one of the largest in western Europe as a whole. The lighting system that encapsulates the stadium can even become multicolored based on the event inside.
Shenzhen Universiade Sports Centre (Shenzhen, China)
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In a word, wow. This geometrical beauty sits in the city of Guangdong, China. The repeated usage of class triangles as they’re stacked upon one another gives it real dimension. This stadium was initially built in 2011 — costing the government a whopping $530 million. Among the many facilities strewn all over the country, this is arguably China’s most prized possession. From the air, the ridges of these triangles make it all the more impressive. Most recently, the stadium has been used to host an NHL game.
La Bombonera (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
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La Bombonera has a unique look to it right off the bat. Featuring three rounded sides of the stadium with a sharp incline on the other, it’s given the nickname which translates to ‘chocolate box.’ However, the atmosphere inside this beautiful stadium is far from sweet. It plays host to Boca Juniors — one of the world’s most famous soccer teams. When playing rival River Plate here, soccer purists call it the most fierce rivalry on the planet.
It sits literally in the La Boca neighborhood of Buenos Aires. This facet alone is awesome — as virtually everyone living in the community is able to walk to the games from their homes. Its striking blue and yellow features make it pop even further. Based on its unique construction, many musical groups/artists love playing here. The rounded nature of the stadium offers a surround sound-like feel — and thus offers exceptional acoustics.
Sapporo Dome (Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan)
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The Sapporo Dome in Japan resembles a gigantic alien spaceship in the form of a portable makeup mirror. Extending from within the ‘mirror’ is a soccer field. Inside the structure houses yet another field — which holds over 40,000 spectators. It was originally created in 2001 as a venue for the 2002 World Cup. Since then, the Sapporo Dome has functioned as a facility for Olympic events. In fact, assuming the Summer Olympics still are executed, you’ll likely be seeing shots of the dome from both outside and inside. Wildly unique in nature, we must give the engineers and design teams some major props for being this forward-thinking as it pertains to an inventive multi-purpose stadium that resembles anything but.
Wrigley Field (Chicago, Illinois)
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“The friendly confines of Wrigley Field” is a phrase often heard by Chicagoans residing on the north side of the city. Despite being one of the oldest parks in Major League Baseball, it is without a doubt the No. 1 place to take in a baseball game…and it isn’t all that close.
The intimate nature of the field is quite refreshing. Aside from being in person to watch a sporting event, a game at Wrigley is almost akin to a social event. You get to know the people sitting next to you, and by the end of the game, you’re likely embracing with a high-five on every hit. The beautiful green ivy backdrop of the outfield is fortified further by the buildings jutting out into the sky. When further adding the old-school green scoreboard, Wrigley simply hums similarly to a world-class orchestra.
PNC Park (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
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The Pirates are arguably the most abysmal franchise in professional baseball. The team is rarely competitive, and the ownership group fails to spend the requisite money to make the team merely adequate on an annual basis. But hey — they’ve got a great park! One cannot deny the stunning appearance of PNC Park (which was officially unveiled in 2001).
It was constructed in a manner where every seat in the house had a terrific view of the action. There are a number of little intricate details paying homage to the culture of Pittsburgh as a city — as well as its past endeavors (such as an emphasis on including elements of steel). As one looks out towards center field, you’ve got a tremendous look at both the Pittsburgh skyline and the Allegheny River. Those in attendance might be watching horrid baseball, but at least the venue will be pleasant.
Avicii Arena (Stockholm, Sweden)
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At first glance, this structure looks like a mix between the Death Star and some sort of snowy Russian army base seen in a James Bond film. While not always encapsulated in snow, this is the Ericsson Globe Arena (situated in Stockholm, Sweden). It has a number of names — which includes Avicii Arena and Globen (the colloquial term for native Swedes).
The structure itself is a major feat of modern engineering. It’s considered to be the largest hemispherical building on the planet. The dome plays host to concerts, sporting events, and perhaps even secret meetings about world domination (we’re joking about the last point).
Fenway Park (Boston, Massachusetts)
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We had to finish off this list with arguably the most iconic baseball park in the world. Fenway is both historic and quirky in nature. You won’t see a gigantic green wall in any park — nor will you see such a short porch out in right field. However, this is what makes Fenway such a cool place to take in a baseball game. The neighborhood feel here in Boston only enhances the atmosphere of a game day. For those who are sports enthusiasts in general, seeing a game here is an absolute must when it comes to ticking off items on a sports bucket list.
